Ship project history:
Ordered on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War, these
were the last foreign-built Japanese battleships, approximately equivalent to
the contemporary British KingEdward VII class, except that the
234mm guns of the former were replaced by 254mm weapons. They had two more 152mm
guns than the British ships, but somewhat less armour (eg 152mm rather
than 178mm over the 152mm battery). They were the last Japanese capital ships
with ram bows.

Katori made 20.22kts on 18,500ihp on 8 hour full-power
trial. Her funnels were closer together than those of Kashima, and her
after funnel was oval rather than round.

Ship protection:
Main belt placed on full
ship length and was 2.4m heigh (including 0.8m above the waterline at normal
load). Its thickness was 229mm amidships and 64mm at ship ends. Upper 4.6m-wide
belt was 152mm-thick and protected majority of 152mm guns. 51mm armoured deck over citadel
connected with lower edge of main belt by 76mm slopes. Outside citadel it had
turtleback form and was 64mm-thick. Main gun barbettes had 203-152mm protection,
intermediate barbettes had 152mm armour. Casemate between intermediate barbettes
had 102mm armour. Main gun turrets had 229mm faces, intermediate turrets had
203mm faces. CT had 229mm sides.

Modernizations: 1916, both: - 6 x 1 - 76/50; + 2 x 1 - 76/40 3-shiki

Naval service:
They
were disarmed in April, 1922 and sold for BU in 1924-1925.